The UN Capital Development Fund makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries (LDCs). With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

In Tanzania, UNCDF is supporting initiatives designed to unlock the flow of domestic and private sector capital to invest in small and medium sized infrastructure projects needed to accelerate local economic development and private sector development. By strengthening how finance works at the local level, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 (no poverty), 5 (gender equality), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) and 17 (partnerships for the goals) on the means of implementation by identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access.

Call for Investment Proposals

With this Call for Proposals, UNCDF is inviting proposals for commercially viable investment projects proposals in the following focus areas:

• Agro-processing and marketing
• Renewable energy
• Manufacturing

Services offered by UNCDF to project developers

1. Project preparation and development services
2. Targeted technical and financing support to project developers (e.g. enhanced project documentation, due diligence and financial structuring).
3. Preparation of investment documents in the format acceptable to banks and other investors.
4. Provision of capital grants, concessional loans and credit enhancements instruments (e.g. partial loan guarantees).
5. Support project owners in accessing funding from commercial and development finance institutions.
6. Support owners to negotiate lending terms.

Eligibility criteria

Proposals must meet all the following eligibility criteria:

1. Geographical Coverage. Qualifying project proposals should be implemented within Tanzania mainland.
2. Project status. Existing profitable business that are looking for finance to expand current operations.Existing profitable business looking for finance to upgrade their technology. Innovative start-up business with high growth potential Other new businesses (greenfield) with high proof of commercial viability.
3. Development impact. Proposal must show how the business will generate positive economic benefits to the community and local economy at large, e.g. job creation, income generation, trade and market access for agricultural produce.
4. Business/Investment size. Total value of investment must be between One hundred million (TZS100m) and Two billion (TZS2b) Tanzania shillings.
5. Compliance Compliance with Tanzania laws and regulations and UNDCF/UNDP Environmental & Social Performance Standards including human rights is a must.The result of this initial screening will be the shortlist of projects which meet the minimum criteria above. The shortlisted investment projects will be visited by a team from UNCDF. Based on the information collected from the field visit and that contained in the application, the final list of business will be prepared.

Pre-submission workshop for prospective applicants

UNCDF may offer a half-day session to guide applicants on submission requirements. The purpose of this session is to allow applicants an opportunity to raise questions and for UNCDF to provide guidance on how to prepare proposals to increase the understanding of the applicants on the eligibility and selection criteria.

If you wish to participate, please send an email to local.finance@uncdf.org indicating “UNCDF Pre-submission workshop” in the subject line of your email. Specific time and venue for the workshop will be communicated in due time to those who will request participation via email. Interested applicants will bear their own costs for attending this workshop.

Please note that attendance to pre-submission workshop is not a pre-requisite for responding to this call.

Instructions for submitting proposals

All submission should be done by filling out all sections of the special form to be downloaded from this site

The submission form must be submitted in its original format (Word) along with any supporting documentation to the following email address: local.finance@uncdf.org. Size of the email should be limited to 10 MB. Any supporting documentation must be submitted in separate emails. Please zip your file to ensure that it is within the allowable 10MB.

Language of proposal: Proposals must be submitted in English

Deadline for submission: The application window is open from 11^th February 2019 to 11^th March 2019.

Please note: Only successful applicants will be contacted within 3 weeks after the deadline. Those applicants who will not be contacted should consider their applications unsuccessful.

For further information, please contact:

UNCDF Tanzania
local.finance@uncdf.org
+255 739 217 574